Dead End Gaming
by cxvxs
Summary: A video game of death. I'm not really good at explaining these. Aizen is the main character. Light romance and some humor, but mostly a mystery.
1. Chapter 0 Preview: Video Game of Death

_**Chapter 1:**__** The Video Game of Death**_

_**Note:** The beginning may seem a little depressing, but this is a series all about death and dying. To clarify a little bit, the game can only be accessed by the dying, but only the dead can actually participate in the events of the game. It's complicated, but basically only a soul detached from it's body can fully access all the areas of the game, which is why Ichigo and the other shinigami will be able to play. It gets much more interesting later, so please at least read up to chapter two. That's all I ask._

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"_The Video Game of Death." That is what every one called D.E.G., the hottest, latest thing in gaming and system networks._

_D.E.G., or Dead End Gaming, was a video game only give to a select and chosen few. No one outside of those chosen ones could operate the game. Mainly, the chosen ones were the dying or the dead. Dead End Gaming was a game that required a sacrifice, the sacrifice of life, to play and none could escape its curse. Not even its creator._

"You want to play that game? Are you serious? Do you even know what that means?" A strangled voice shouted over the telephone line. "You're crazy! Absolutely raving mad! There is no one crazier than you are! What could possibly possess you to—what?"

Silence greeted the response on the other line. "How can you be so sure? What do you mean you are positive, how can you positive about such a thing? This is a negative thing, dammit!" He slammed his fist down on the table, gritting his teeth. "Death isn't something you can joke about or just laugh off. It's scary, it's painful, and in the end, you will be alone. Even if you are dying at the same time as someone else, you will be alone in what you are going through. Only you will know what it is like for _you_ to die. Don't talk about it so lightly."

"_I understand you're worried, but I already bought the game. I am sure I am going to die young. Don't ask me how I know, I just know. Besides, if I'm going to die at such an early age, I want to know that my soul will have a place to go afterwards."_

Three days after this conversation took place, Keito Mikami died in a terrible "car accident." According to the doctors who received her shortly after the crash, they discovered a rare, fatal disease. Had she lived, she would have had a long drawn out battle with this virtually unknown disease, with no chance of winning and a slow, painful death. It was lucky that she died before it ever got to that stage. That was what most everyone was discussing at her funeral. Ichigo Kurosaki, however, the last person to speak with her alive, had his doubts.

"I'm saying it's suspicious, Rukia!" Rukia Kuchiki shook her head as Ichigo continued. "She knew something was going to happen to her! When I spoke to her, she kept saying that I needed to watch my back and be careful for the Hollows."

"That underground group of villains?"

"Yeah. She kept warning me of them and then she said that she was going to die young, that she was sure of it. She insisted that I take care of everything and that everything goes to me _when_ she dies. Not _if_ but _when_ she dies. Then three short days later, she suddenly dies in a car crash? I don't buy it. It sounds fishy to me. Plus, she was going on about how she had just bought that new game system, D.E.G. or whatever it's called."

Rukia froze, her eyes widening, and slowly turned her head so that she was facing him. She dropped the notebook and pen she was taking notes on. She grabbed Ichigo by the collar roughly and yanked him towards herself. "Are you absolutely sure that she said she bought that game? Absolutely sure?"

Ichigo glared at Rukia. "She was my best friend for 15 years, Rukia. I remember almost every conversation I have ever had with her and I _know_ that is _exactly_ what she said. We argued furiously about it for weeks and she even stopped talking to me for a time because of it. I _know_ she went out and bought that game. I _know_ she used it at least once before she died. And I _know_ she was dead set on dying young no matter what. Therefore, whether this was an accident or not, I want to be absolutely sure that her death wasn't pre-planned."

"I don't think you understand, Ichigo!" Rukia said, releasing him and clutching her hands to her chest. "My brother is Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, the reigning detective over the paranormal activity in the area. That game is suspected to—no! This is not the place to be having this kind of conversation. Ichigo, you will need to come with me later on. We're both going to have a very long conversation with my brother."

_Meanwhile . . . inside the game, Keito Mikami was finding out __exactly__ what kind of game D.E.G. was._

Slowly, Keito opened her eyes. She was sitting on a sidewalk, at the very intersection she had died. _Died? I . . . died?_ Keito wondered, trying to remember. Yes, the memories were slowly coming back to her. _Yes, I remember now. I died here. There was an accident just as I was stepping off the crosswalk and. . . . _There had been so much pain, so much pain and suffering as they rushed her away from the scene in an ambulance. Everyone was doing their best to keep her conscious and alive, but she had just wanted the pain to go away. She had kept wondering why everyone was trying so hard to keep her alive if she was just going to be in pain and then.

_And then what? What happened after that? I finally closed my eyes to go to sleep and there was a bright flash of light and . . . _And next thing she knew, she had ended up here. Where was here, exactly? Why had she woken up in such a strange place? A strange bus pulled up to her, a lot like the ones she had seen in her visit to California, but a bit wider and longer. She gingerly got up and walked towards it. The doors opened and she climbed inside. _That's right, I am inside the game. After you die, your soul goes inside the game and that's when it starts._

The game was starting . . . and Keito Mikami was not going to be one to lose this game!


	2. Chapter 1: Aizen's Journey

_**Chapter 2:**__** Aizen's Journey**_

_**Note:** This is where it starts getting interesting. Aizen appears, which is always a good thing. The story line will switch back and forth between the gaming world and the living world, about every other chapter, although it's going on at virtually the same time._

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_There was one thing he could absolutely not do._

_Lord Aizen absolutely could __**not**__,_

_under any circumstances,_

_give __**her**__ the time of day._

_He could not, heaven forbid, show her any kind of favoritism._

_He absolutely could not tell her he __**liked**__ her or anything remotely close to those words._

_Above all else, Lord Aizen could __**not**__ lose his composure in front of this girl._

Lord Aizen Sousuke had been a shinigami since he could remember. For over a hundred years, he had been doing everything he could to keep himself entertained, short of taking over the world. Now that alone was not enough, and he had decided that all that remained for him to do _was_ take over the world. Miraculously, a new game came out around the time he was searching for a suitable place to collect souls. The new game involved taking a person's soul in order to play it. Rumor had it that if you could figure out the rules to the game, which did not come with any instructions, and win all the different levels, you would take control of the entire game. If those rumors were true, he intended to win the game, take control over this 'world' and use the souls inside of it for his own gain, throwing the outside world into chaos.

This would explain how he had ended up on this bus, the beginning of this system game. Everything always began with this bus, no matter how many times he tried to restart. Apparently, as a shinigami, he had more power in the game than a normal dead soul. However, all those powers were worthless if he could not figure out the purpose of this game. What were the rules and how could he win this game? Those were the questions he wanted answered the most. He sighed and went back to ease dropping on the rumors on the bus. Apparently, it had become evident that the creator of this game had died and they were now playing the game. Rumored also had it that if he figured out their identity, they would help him win the game by telling him the rules.

However, the biggest secret of all was the creator's identity. Their gender, much less their age or any other information, had never been released while they were alive and it was later released that the moment they died, all their work related to the game was scheduled to be burned. The creator really wanted their identity to stay a secret. Perhaps that was part of the rules, mused Aizen. Part of the game must be finding out the identity of the creator of the game, therefore they were obligated to give more information about winning the game once this feat was accomplished. A commotion brought his attention back to the other people on the bus.

A new girl stepped onto the bus, from an unfamiliar stop. It was obviously a regular stop, because the bus driver nodded to her and called out a greeting to her. The bus driver only did that to the regulars. However, he had never seen this regular before, which suggested she was fairly new. How, then, had she become a regular in such a short time? Could she possibly know—no, that was impossible! Surely, this was merely a coincidence. Lord Aizen turned his attention back to the window, trying to figure out where exactly they were.

"_You stole my seat."_

The words barely muttered aloud and the hiss of breath that followed them suggested that they were not meant to be uttered aloud, not meant to be heard. Indeed, if Aizen had not been sitting near the front of the bus, he doubted sincerely that he would have heard them at all. He looked up, in the direction of the speaker. It was the girl who had just boarded. She was sitting across from a young man, and for a moment, she openly glared at him before dropping her gaze. The man opposite to her never saw the glare, he was a second to late, but he definitely heard what she said. He did not seem too pleased about what he had heard either.

"Say what?" The boy sat up straighter, glaring in her direction. "This seat doesn't have your name on it anywhere, now does it?"

She sniffed and turned her head in an obvious attention to ignore him. His face flushed at the insult. "Repeat what you just said!"

Silence greeted his unconventional approach to conversing with her. "Hey! Hey now! I am talking to you! What did you just say?"

Lord Aizen noted the girl sitting across from the clearly upset youth. Her stoic face betrayed something underneath it, her strong resolve. It was obvious to him that she would not say a word.

"If you don't tell me what you said this instant, I'm going to show you your place!" The youth threatened, standing up in order to intimidate her. His uncouth manner was really starting to get to Lord Aizen. He wanted nothing more to put this youth in his place, but he must remain an observer until her found the creator of this game.

She merely closed her eyes, an impartial look on her face, and his raised hand whipped forward backhanding her. "Now apologize." He demanded, a totally ridiculous phrase considering the circumstances.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked straight ahead, not bothering to meet his gaze. He flushed again in anger. This whole thing was playing out almost as if—of course! How could he have not seen it before? This was the perfect revenge, the best way to piss off any self-conscious male. It could not work out any better in her favor than if she had planned it all out from the very beginning.

The youth raised his hand against her a second time. Aizen was really starting to get annoyed at the both of them. He sincerely believed that they were both pathetic. He almost wanted to crush the pathetic girl himself, but he found himself much more insulted by the behavior of the uncouth boy.

Whoosh. His hand came down hard and fast.

Smack. The sound almost seemed to echo in the slightly crowded bus.

Still no response came from her, not even a hand to rub her sore cheek.

"You bitch!" He was obviously lost in his anger now. "I'm going to keep hitting you until I _make_ you talk to me, make you apologize."

Still no response.

Snap.

Whoosh.

Sma—wha?

"I believe the young lady implied that you had stolen her seat. That should clear this matter up nicely. Now leave."

The youth flushed angrily, but had enough sense to back up a pace. Aizen released the hand he a grabbed, throwing it back at the youth. He nursed his wrist as thought it was injured, which was possible. Aizen had not meant to snap, yet he had and in the process, unfortunately, he had saved this girl.

The boy felt challenged and he tried vainly to salvage his wounded pride. "Say what now? Who do you think you are, stepping in like that? I'm not—finished with. . ."

Aizen sent him a death glare, his eyes deadly but serious, the total opposite of his cold but charming smile. "I thought I told you to leave. Now disappear from my sight before I make you. I will not repeat myself a 3rd time."

The youth stumbled backwards, tripping and falling over himself in his fright. He quickly departed, getting off at the stop the bus paused at. Several others, who had been trying very hard to hide the fact that they were watching took one look at Aizen and got off at this stop. Now few people were on the bus. Aizen turned back towards the girl with a sigh. She was still facing forward, unblinking, but at his sigh, she slowly raised her head to meet his gaze. She looked up into his face for a moment, raising an eyebrow, before looking down to stare straight ahead again. He seated himself directly across from her, in the seat the youth had been occupying only moments before.

"Hey. He's gone." Aizen began, unsure of where else to begin.

No response. Not even a blink.

"Hey. I just saved you."

Still no response. Aizen felt a small inkling of what he imagined had annoyed the youth.

"Your savior doesn't deserve a proper response?"

Blink. There! She blinked! She bowed her head for a moment, her hair shading her eyes and casting shadows on her face. Then she raised her head and looked up, looking straight at him, her eye icy cold. "You're in my seat." Her voice matched her icy cold stare. "You stole it, stole it from me. I hate you for it. Therefore, you do not exist in my eyes."

Aizen stared at her wide-eyed for a minute. Of all the responses, he was not expecting that one. A smile of amusement broke across his face. The girl continued to stare at him with that cold, icy stare until he smiled, then deftly looked away. Aizen scooted over one seat. "And if I give you back your seat?"

She paused, titling her head slightly to the left as though in thought, then slowly stood. She walked over to him and paused directly in front of him. For a moment, she looked down at him, her eyes veiled by her hair, before plopping ungracefully in the seat beside him. She turned her head and looked at him, then smiled brightly, surprising him. "Thank you."

It was the first time she had acknowledged him, and she did so as an equal. Her equal. It would be later, much later, that he realized how rare that was. However, now he only viewed it as an unseen insult. One he must fix posthaste, before the urge to kill her set in.

"You finally speak." He spoke with mock sarcasm. "However, you speak to familiarly with me, as though we are on equal ground. I view that as slight to both me and my pride. I am Lord Aizen."

Her eyes widened slightly at the response, and then closed as her smile lit up her entire face. "Of course." She inclined her head in an apology.

"Lord Aizen." She inclined her head again, this time in respect. He noted that while the first incline was deep, using all her head and neck in the gesture, the second incline was barely a nod. Although she acknowledged his title and showed him some respect by inkling her head, that was it. Her respect for such things was barely registered. It was almost as if she did not give one wit about him or his title. Regardless, she would come to respect it in time.

"So why did you get into that petty argument with that youth? Some past grudge against him?"

"Petty?" Her face took on a serious look for a moment. When she faced the older male, her eyes were questioning. "Did it really seem that petty to you?"

Aizen looked at her as though he did not understand the question. "Of course, how could it not seem petty?"

"I don't understand." She paused, as though turning something over in her mind. "It might seem petty to you but to me, it seemed only natural. I claimed this seat and I view it as my own. When he took it, unintentional or not, he was claiming something I already viewed as mine. It's only natural that I would think he needed to be punished for it."

"Pun . . . ished?" Aizen asked, amazed at the simplicity of her thoughts. He had to admit, they did make sense to him. If he had been placed in a similar situation, he might have acted the same way, although never over something as petty as a seat on a bus.

"Yes." She replied simply. "I punished him."

"How did you punish him," Aizen challenge. "If you hadn't misspoken and—accidently" A slow smile crept onto her lips.

"Accidently?" she asked innocently, the smile still in place on her lips.

It dawned on him what she was hinting at. "You didn't misspeak. You slipped up on purpose."

"A slip of the tongue it may have seemed but you are correct. I did it intentionally. I knew he would react with violence if he thought his pride might be hurt," she giggled. "People are usually so easy to predict. Though I will admit. . ."

She tilted her head to the right as she looked at him, her eyes capturing his with the devious look in them. "I would have never predicted that you would come to my rescue. You must have a pure heart after all."

"Pure heart?" Aizen scoffed at this notion. She would only think that because she did not know him personally. "You don't even know why I intervened."

She turned her head away and leaned it back against the window, closing her eyes. "Whatever the reason, your heart is still pure. Be it because he insulted some sense of pride you have or because you thought I was pathetic and wanted to crush me yourself, that fact still does not change. You have a pure heart."

Her voice was confident and her words were earnest as she spoke. Her sincerity confused him. "How do you figure that?"

"All the people around us heard the dispute." This statement made Aizen start; this was true. He glanced around them; she, however, did not even bother to open her eyes. "They all noticed the first slap. They all noticed when he hit me for a second time. Not a single person blinked an eye, not even you. None of them intended to be involved in what they considered my problem. However, while they never intended to help me, you did. You stepped in. You could have continued to let him hit me. If you wanted to humiliate him, I am sure it would only take a few words from you. Or if you wanted to break me, you could have waited until this was all over. I am under no delusions. I know you are not the type to step in and help just because or just to be nice. However, whatever the reason, you still helped me."

She stretched, her body moving with a sensual, almost catlike gracefulness. She opened her eyes and stood up, preparing to leave the moving bus. "Oh, and to answer your question, yes."

"Yes?" Aizen questioned, curious as to what she thought his question was.

"Yes, he deserved punishment. Even if a person does not know what they are doing is a crime, the law will still prosecute them. The only difference between this and that is that they might get a lighter sentence for their ignorance. I, on the other hand, will punish them the same way I see fit, regardless of their ignorance."

The bus stopped and she headed towards the open door. Just as she was about to exit, Aizen called out to her again. "Why did you tell me all of this?"

She turned and smiled coolly at him. "As part of your punishment; you took my seat as well."


	3. Chapter 2:Give me something to Believe 3

_**Chapter 3:**__** Give me something to Believe**_

_**Note:** This is happening back in the living world again. I will be placing a note on each chapter from now on, so you will be able to understand them better. I hope you will be able to enjoy this series from now on. My apologies if it seems lame and depressing._

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_Kojima Mizuiro had been Keito's boyfriend for over 5 years now. He had been one of the first people to get the news. The first person to get the news was Ichigo, and he had immediately called Mizuiro. However, Kojima could not understand why she had asked for Ichigo to be informed before him. Should he not, as her lover, get priority over her childhood friend? Kojima had loved her; heck, he still loved her. He just could not understand why she had always done ambiguous things like this._

"Ichigo, are you sure that's what she said?" Mizuiro asked Ichigo for perhaps the hundredth time since Keito's funeral.

"For the hundredth time, Mizuiro, _yes!_ Keito clearly told me she was getting a D.E.G. game! We argued about it for weeks. She said she bought it three days before she died. And on the day she died, I got an email from her, saying that she was worried about being able to play it. She asked me if I thought that meant she was going to die soon. I sent her back and email that it just could not be possible, that the rumors were all lies, and she had nothing to worry about. She seemed relieved in her reply, and told me she would call me later. About half an hour, I got the call she was in a coma in the hospital. You know the rest from there."

"Yeah. I just cannot believe it, though. For her brother to hold a _funeral _for her even though she's in the hospital still. . ." Mizuiro mused, falling silent.

Ichigo sighed. "You're her boyfriend right? You should have already heard. She is brain dead. She won't be waking up. Her brother thought it would be easier for us to move on if she was transferred to a hospital that none of us knew about, and secretly kept on life support after her funeral."

"Yes, I know. I spoke to him about it. He refused to tell me which hospital she was in, demanding that I move on and forget about her. How am I supposed to forget about her, Ichigo?" Mizuiro held his head in his hands. "Tell me, Ichigo. How can you move on, live normally? How can you continue living your life? Am I the only one who feels like his world is being crippled and slowly crushed without her? How can you keep moving on without her?"

Ichigo felt a stab of sincere compassion for Mizuiro. He was unaware of exactly what his girlfriend had done in the days before she died, the grave crime she had committed and the punishment she had yet to face. Had he known what Ichigo knew, Ichigo was sure Mizuiro would not be able to sit there and wallow in loss and self-pity like he was. Mizuiro would be the same as Ichigo, trying to do everything in his power to change her fate, to save her from the punishment that was eventually waiting her when her body actually died. Still, Ichigo could not leave Mizuiro like this. He had to tell him at least a small portion of the truth.

"Mizuiro. You must never repeat what I am about to tell you. Please don't ask me any question, I am already telling you too much as it is, and please forget everything after I tell you this." Mizuiro looked up at Ichigo with wide, almost hopeful eyes. Ichigo took a deep breath before continuing. "I am trying to bring Keito back. I am trying to bring my best friend, your girlfriend, back to life. That is all I can tell you, all I can say to you to put you at ease without getting you involved or in trouble. Please forget about this now, I can't tell you anymore than I already have."

"Bring her . . . back to life?" Kojima repeated the words back to himself, standing up slowly. He turned, walking away just as slowly. "Bring her . . . back to life, eh?"

"Mizuiro?"

Kojima turned around and smiled at Ichigo. "Okay, then! I'll leave it to you!" He turned around again and walked off at a brisk pace, muttering under his breath the whole while.

Ichigo watched him go, guilt building in his heart. Would it have been better if he had not said anything? If had just kept quiet, perhaps Kojima Mizuiro would have gotten over all of this on his own, instead of buying into the small, probably false hope Ichigo had just given him. No, but no, this was the right thing to do. Ichigo just knew it was the right thing to do. Mizuiro was not the type of person to let go of anything he cared deeply for easily. Keito Mikami had been his special person. Keito would have been the only thing on his mind for months, no, more like years. Rather than forcing him to go through that, it was better to give him this one small hope, however impossible it might seem.

"_You understand what this means, right, Ichigo? Keito Mikami broke the rules by doing something this reckless, and from appearances, for her own gain.__"_

_"Keito wouldn't do something like this for her own gain!__"_

_"Secretly creating a game such as this, to create D.E.G. was a reckless and foolish thing on her part. However, the problem is that this is not her crime. Her crime is allowing the 'winner' of the game to have complete control over everything inside the game, including the souls. Unfortunately, Soul Society will not be as understanding as we have been. This is a serious crime, the crime of manipulating souls, and they believe it deserves the ultimate punishment. Should she die before her soul can appease them, or even plead her case to them, Soul Society will have no problem obliterating her soul."_

"Why?" Ichigo leaned his forehead against the cool wall of the school building. "Why couldn't you just tell me, tell all of us the truth?"

"_According to the doctor reports, she has had this disease for a while now. I spoke with them, and they said that there was a note about this disease in one of her older files, but that the doctor who had made the note said he made a mistake later on and refused to elaborate any more about the topic. The thing that worries me about this the most, though, is that it says she found out when she was in 6__th__ grade. Had she really been carrying this wait on her shoulders, all alone, for all these years? How could we have not seen it, Ichigo? How could I, her own brother, have missed her curiosity and fear over this? Why did she not tell anyone? Why did she not tell me, or at least, you? Did she not trust us? I just cannot understand Ichigo! I just don't understand. . ."_

"Why couldn't you tell us you were dying, Keito?"

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_(Author's Note:_ Keito is still technically alive, even though she is brain dead. However, what this chapter reveals is that if her brother pulls the plug before Ichigo can fix things, Keito's soul will cease to exist. For those of you curious, by the way, Keito Mikami is an adopted child of the Mikami family, with virtual no past and no family other than her brother. She was 25 when all this began.)


	4. Chapter 3: Cause I'm livng just to

_**Chapter 4:**__** Cause I'm living just to Breathe**_

_**Note:** The beginning of this chapter explains some of the more basic rules of the game. Basically, everyone must rely on the bus driver at first. He will explain what happened, that they died and if need be, how they died, as well as explaining the first couple of rules of the game. He can only tell the rules concerning his bus, though he does know all of the rules. He is a program, and not an actual person. He has no feelings, although he does have facial expressions and can mimic emotions. This chapter is probably my favorite, because of how it ends. I love the ending line._

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_The bus was the central transportation system in the game. Getting on and off it meant you were playing the game. Those who got on it once were newbies who had recently died. They would get off at random stops, sometimes getting back off at the stop they had gotten on, only to evaporate and disappear into ash and smoke. Those who got on more than once were playing the game to win, and were trying to figure out the rules. The bus only had three stops for people: the beginning registration, the plaza square, and the place where a person "died", meaning the spot they had first boarded from. Those were the only places one could disembark, and no one was allowed to get off at another person's death stop. Those were the rules of the bus._

Aizen wondered vaguely who the girl had gotten off the bus was. She had gotten on the bus at a "death" stop, and gotten off at a different "death" stop. She was breaking all the rules, and she was somehow able to get away with it. Why did the game allow her to do that, and not anyone else? Aizen had tried several times to get off at another person's "death" stop, only to feel and invisible barrier hold him back. The bus driver had said the rules when he had gotten on the bus the first time, but he had wanted to try to break those rules. How could she break those rules so easily when he could not?

The door opened at a completely new "death" stop. Two people climbed on, a newbie and the girl from before. She greeted the bus driver pleasantly, before guiding the person to a seat beside her. She seated the woman beside her and then signaled for bus driver to wait. "I'm not staying on the bus this time around. Mind if I get off at the same stop I got on?" The bus driver nodded absently, and the bus suddenly was driving at a very fast speed, backwards. It screeched to a halt, jostling all the badly except for her, and the doors opened. She smiled and thanked the bus driver, heading towards the steps. She paused before she got to the steps, though, as a small girl and a younger boy climbed inside.

"You . . . you weren't supposed to die yet!" The girl said, staring at the children in horror.

"Onee . . . chan?" The little girl took a hesitant step forward. "Onee-chan? Is it really you?" Suddenly, they both ran forward, both crying and talking at the same time.

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan! Onee-chan!"

"It really is you!"

"Why'd you die, onee-chan?"

"You were supposed to live forever! You told us that, member. You told us that when you got hurt real bad last time. You told us you would live forever and ever and ever and never die."

"You weren't supposed to die, onee-chan!"

She hugged the two children to her, stroking their hair gently. She smiled apologetically to the bus driver. "Give me a minute." To the children, she smiled and reached down, picking up the little boy and hugging the little girl close to her. "Your mommy is waiting for you. She wants you to sit with her and take a little journey. No, try not cry. You need not worry, I will join you guys soon enough. In fact, I may even get there before you, so I can greet you when your journey ends. Would you like that? That would be nice, huh? Okay, I have to go now, so go sit by your mommy and I'll see you guys soon."

Aizen stepped towards the front of the bus. She calmly walked down the steps, and although the barrier crackled, it seemed to bend around her. Aizen hesitated, before quickly following after her. Again, the barrier held in place, holding him back. Damn it all, why did these rules constrict him when he could normally break the rules? "Take me with you, damn it!" He cried out in frustration.

To his immense surprise, a hand shot through the barrier and pulled him through effortlessly. "You can leave now. If I need you again, I will send for you."

The person standing before him was indeed the same girl, but she seemed like a different person. Her clothing was different, no longer blood soaked clothes that lay in tatters on her, but a clean, crimp black kimono. Her arms were crossed and she had an air about her that was completely business-like. "Well? You asked me to take you with me. What is it exactly that you are expecting? I won't help you win the game, you know."

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_(Author's Note: Yes, she does know the children from when she was alive, although I cannot say how she knows them yet. However, in later chapters, you will see similar situations as this one, where she is assisting complete strangers. That is part of her role in the game and she in only fulfilling her duty, so that others can try to complete and win the game.)_


	5. Chapter 4: Don't Stop

_**Chapter 5:**__** Don't Stop**_

_**Note:**__ The song in is "Don't Stop" by Innerpartysystem. I do not own. Oh, and Halloween candy is very good. I is happy ^-^_

Aizen stared at her openly, unsure of what to say or how to take what she had just admitted. "You're . . . the creator?"

She pulled an MP3 player out, popping in the headphones. "I never said that. I merely stated I would not help you win this game."

Aizen's glare became icy cold. "So you are not the creator." His voice was deadly soft, not betraying an ounce of his anger and frustration.

She did not bother to look up, her eyes closed shut and a peacefully indifferent mask on her face. "I did not say that either. I refuse to comment on my exact relation to the game. However, if you can guess it correctly and find the proof to back it up, I will gladly tell you the rules and guidelines set in place for those trying to win the game." She paused, slowly opening her eyes, though they stayed downcast. Finally, she looked up at Aizen. "You know, from the moment we first met, one song has been constantly playing in my head. I think it suits you well, although I cannot recall why."

She turned and began to walk away, humming under her breath.

"_The road I walk,_

_is paved in gold_

_To glorify my platinum soul_

_I'll buy my way_

_To talk to God_

_So he can live_

_With what I'm not"_

Aizen froze at this song. What? What was she singing? He followed hesitantly after a moment, trying to catch the rest of the song. How did this song remind her of him?

"_The selfish blood runs through my veins_

_I gave up everything for fame_

_I am the life that you adore_

_I feed the rich and fuck the poor"_

The words made him smile, although not all of them were true. He could care less about the rich or the poor. However, he had given up everything, in a way, for fame.

"_I got, you want  
It's just, don't stop  
I got, you want  
It's just, don't stop"_

Her singing captivated him, as though some sort of spell or enchantment mesmerized him. Perhaps that was it; perhaps she was singing and enchantment. Besides, it was partially true, she had what he wanted, the knowledge she possessed, according to her word, was vital to him playing and winning the game.

"_This is entertainment  
Lives are entertainment  
You are down on your knees  
Begging me for more"_

He followed her to another bus stop, and a different bus appeared. The title _Shuttle Shinigami_ painted in black letters on the side, popping out from the red background. She sung a few more lines of the song before boarding, waiting at the top step for him to get on. She was again clothed in the tattered remains of a bloody white t-shirt and torn up pants, no MP3 player in sight. She held out her hand to him, beckoning him to hurry up and board. He hesitated before getting on board, suspicious of her actions. He seated himself next to her. "Where are we heading?"

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "You got on board, trusting me so completely, yet you cannot even guess where we are heading?"

Aizen's eyes were cold and distant when he looked at her, matching his charming smile. "I did not say I trusted you. I was merely curious as to why you were able to break the rules where I was not."

She tilted her head the right, as though in thought, and her eyes got a distant look in them. "Probably because you acknowledge them to be the rules. There are very few rules actually set in place, and most of them are only for those trying to win the game. However, society, even the dead society, cannot function without rules. So mock rules were set in place, and they will be enforced so long as you acknowledge them. I, however, only acknowledge the rules I know to be true as the real rules. Everything else is a farce to me."

"Mock rules? The creator put in fake rules for such a purpose?"

"The fake rules serve two purposes. To weed out those unfit to win the game, those unwilling to throw the rules away altogether and to test those who are. You fit under neither category, so I thought it would be interesting if you had a chance to win the game. Prove to me you are worthy of my help, and I will teach you each new rule as you need to learn it."

"Prove to you? I see no need to do so. I will win this game without your assistance."

She smirked, then reached up and pulled the handle. A _ding_ rang out from the front of the bus and the bus began to slow. "If you truly believe you can, perhaps you will. Now, if you will excuse me, this is my stop. Your stop is the last one, the registration desk for players trying to win the game. Good luck."

She descended the steps, singing that song again.

"_The road I walk is paved in gold  
To glorify my platinum soul  
I am the closest thing to God  
So worship me and never stop"_

She was right about one thing. Those last lines would describe him perfectly. He was truly the closest thing to _god_. The bus pulled into the last station and everyone filed off, Aizen getting off last. This was the place where his journey would begin and where the game would truly start.


End file.
